Kiln.



G. E. SNOWDEN.

KILN.

APPLICATION FILED SEPT. 21. 1908.

Patented Mar. 30, 1909;

MHHHHHHH"WHHH'H G. E. SNOWDEN. KILN.

APPLICATION I'ILEDSEPT. 21. 1908.

91 6,498. Patented Mar. 30, 1909.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

(Unventop Gcolytz. 510M761 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

GEORGE E. SNOWDEN, OF NEW CUMBERLAND, WEST VIRGINIA.

To all whom 'it may concern:

Be it known that I, Gnonon E. SNowDnN, a-citizen of the United States,residing at New Cumberland, in the county of Hancock,

State of Vest Vir inia have invented cer-- tainnew and usefulImprovements in Kilns; and I do hereby declare the following to be afull, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enableothers skilled are dried preparatory to being fired in the kiln.

In the current practice of the art, it is customary to connect the kilnand drier by an under-ground flue or duct which communicates with thekiln through an opening formed in the foundation wall thereof, theheated air being exhausted from the kiln and forced through the flue bymeans of a suction fan. This system, however, is seriously defective, inthat it is practically im possible to seal the underground flue duringthe firing of the kiln, and in consequence, the gases, smoke, etc,escape from the latter into the flue and effect an entrance into thedrier, rendering it impossible for the workmen to attend to their dutiesin that section of the plant. Furthermore, the damper or valveordinarily employed in connection with the flue is situated on theground level, thus offering obstruction to carts, barrows and othervehicles, as well as being open to accidental displacement and possibeinjury from various other sources. To overcome these defects, thepresent invention has been devised, the invention residing, generally,in the formation of a vertical supplemental flue in the side wall of thekiln, said flue serving as a continuation of the main under-ground flueinto which it opens at its lower end,while its upper end has communication with the interior of the kiln through an inlet passage formed inthe kiln wall toward the top thereof. Connection between the main andsupplemental fiues is opened and cut out by means of a specially-formedvalve consisting of a frame and a pair of hinged wings carried thereby,the frame being Specification of Letters Patent.

Application filed September 21, 1908.

Patented March 30, 1909.

Serial No. 453,897.

seated in a passage which is formed in the wall and opens outwardly intothe atmosphere, such arrangement permitting the inner wing to be loweredand securely fastened in position, to completely seal the supplementalflue, whereafter the outer wing, which was previously lowered to permitaccess to said inner wing, may be raised and fastened in place.

The preferred embodiment of the invention is illustrated in theaccompanying drawings, in which corresponding parts or features, as thecase may be, are designated by the same reference characters throughoutthe several views.

Of the said drawings, Figure 1 is a fragmental vertical sectional viewof the improved kiln and the underground flue connected therewith,communication between the kiln and flue being open. Fig. 2 is a similarview showing the position of the wings during the firing of the kiln.Fig. 3 is a perspective view of the valve. Fig. 4 is a fragmental detailview illustrating the ledge upon which one of the wings of the valve isarranged to rest.

Referring more particularly to the drawings, A deslgnates, generally,the kiln which may be, in the main, of any preferred construction, B theunderground line which has con'nnunication in the ordinary manner withthe drier, which latter is not illustrated, since it forms no part ofthis invention, and G the cut out valve.

The side wall 1 of the kiln has formed therein, a vertical flue 2,hereinafter termed the supplemental line, which extends almost to thepoint where the crown 3 of the kiln joins the wall 1. At its lower end,the supplemental flue opens directly into the main flue, extending belowthe ground and kiln floor levels, as shown. At its upper end, the flue 2opens into a horizontal passage 4, which is formed in the wall 1 andopens, in turn, into the interior of the kiln, by reason of whichconstruction, it will be observed that the main flue has directcommunication with the kiln through the flue 2 and passage 4- which pairof ducts thus serve as continu ations of the main flue. The passage 4,however, is located toward the upper end of the kiln wall 1, as shown,and hence, the heated air is drawn not from the bottom of the kiln, asis ordinary the case, but from the top thereof.

Communication between the main and supwhen lowered into horizontalposition.

in the kiln wall 1 at a convenient heightabove the ground level, butbelow the passage l, the height of the wings being slightly greater thanthat of the passage 7 and likewise greater than the diameter of the flue2, the wall of which latter has a portion thereof cut away directlyopposite said passage 7, to provide a ledge 8 upon which the inner wing6 may rest at its free or top edge The wings 6 are each providedadjacent their last-mentioned edges with catches 9 of any suitableconstruction, the catches being car.- ried upon the outer faces of thewings.

During the time that the kiln is being fired, communication between thesame and main flue (and hence with the drier) may be completely out offby lowering the inner wing 6, until it rests upon the ledge 8, in whichposition, it may be retained in place by means of its catches, access tosaid wing being had through the hollow lining frame 5. The outer wingmay then be raised and fastened, thus sealing the kiln. When, however,the kiln and drier are to be connected, the outer wing is lowered, andthe inner wing then raised.

It is to be noted that the construction and arrangement of the flues andpassage is such that the supplemental flue forms a direct continuationof the main or underground flue, and that the heated air is taken fromthe top of the kiln at the completion of the firing, instead of fromthebottom, as is ordinarily the custom. Furthermore, it will be apparentthat the particular form of valve employed, and its specific positionwith respect to the supplemental flue renders it possible to eflectivelyseal the kiln during the firing, the importance of which has alreadybeen set forth. Finally, it will be seen that the vah'e is out of theway for which reason it is not exposed to injury, as would be the case,were it located at the ground level, and that it can be readily andquickly operated.

. What is claimed is:

l. The combination, with a kiln having a vertical flue formed in itswall, said flue opening at its upper end into the kiln and having abranch communication intermediate its ends with the atmosphere, of anunderground flue communicating directly with the lower end of thevertical flue; and a valve comprising a hollow frame seated in saidbranch, and a pair of wings hinged to the frame, one of the wings beingarranged for vertical movement interiorly of said vertical flue and theother eXteriorly thereof, to respectively open and cut out communicationbetween the under ground flue and the vertical flue, and between thelatter and .the atmosphere.

between the under ground flue and the Vertical flue and between thelatter and the atmosphere; and means for holding said wings in raised orlowered position.

3. The combination, with a kiln having a vertical flue formed in itswall, said flue opening at its upper end into the kiln and having abranch communication intermediate its ends with the atmosphere, and aledge opposite said branch, of an underground flue communicatingdirectly with the lower end of the vertical flue; and a valve comprisinga hollow frame seated in said branch, and a pair of wings hinged to theframe, one of the wings being operable within said vertical flue and theother wing eXteriorly thereof to respectively open and cut outcommunication between the under ground flue and the vertical flue andbetween the latter and the atmosphere, the first-mentioned wing beingarranged for movement into and out of contact with said ledge.

In testimony whereof, I affiX my signature, in presence of twowitnesses.

GEORGE E. SNOVDEN.

WVitnesses WV. 0. KNIGHT, A. W. HANEY.

